CHELSEA have reportedly identified four targets to bolster their lightweight midfield– on top of Moises Caicedo.
Mauricio Pochettino has been busy clearing out the bloated squad that saw Chelsea endure a shocking 2022/23 Premier League season.
The likes of Mateo Kovacic, N’Golo Kante, Mason Mount and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have all been sold.
And Pochettino now feels he is light on numbers.
Chelsea have been pursuing Caicedo all summer, but Brighton are holding firm on their £100million valuation of the 21-year-old.
The Blues have started to look at other options, with The Times revealing four names they are considering.
And it is thought Pochettino will move for one of them even if he does get his top target.
The first is Southampton star Romeo Lavia, who is also a target for Liverpool.
Tyler Adams from relegated Leeds United has been tipped as an option with experience alongside Ajax‘s Edson Alvarez.
Meanwhile, Gabri Veiga of Celta Vigo is another name on their list.
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In the case of Adams, 24, Chelsea would be acquiring a player not expected to be fit in time for the start of the Championship season.
Adams required surgery in March for a hamstring injury, but will be available for relatively cheap with the understanding there is a relegation release clause in his Leeds contract.
Alvarez, 25, was the subject of a £40m bid from Chelsea last summer.
Veiga would also likely prove to be a costly signing, with the highly sought-after Spaniard understood to possess a release clause of £34m in his contract.
Chelsea have agreed a deal to sign Rennes star Lesley Ugochukwu for £23.5m.
However, the 19-year-old will not be part of their midfield solution after Pochettino revealed the plan for him was to be sent on loan.
This gives the likes of Andrey Santos and Carney Chukwuemeka a look into the first team after impressing in pre-season.
Chelsea’s recruitment team have also agreed a £39m deal to land Axel Disasi from Monaco.
They are also chasing a deal for Robert Sanchez and a Romelu Lukaku-Dusan Vlahovic swap deal.
The most explosive signing they have been linked with is a player-plus-cash deal for superstar Kylian Mbappe.
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